


The Magic of Illusions

by breathing_exe



Series: Original Work [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Student/Teacher, Anal Sex, Angst and Feels, Angst and Fluff and Smut, College Student, Dom/sub Play, Dom/sub Undertones, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Gay, Gay Male Character, Learning Magic, Light Angst, M/M, Magic, Magical Realism, POV Male Character, Parlor Tricks, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Teacher-Student Relationship, using inventions to make magic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-04
Updated: 2019-01-04
Packaged: 2019-10-04 10:39:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17303093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/breathing_exe/pseuds/breathing_exe
Summary: “We’ve gotten a new student.” His voice was clear and warm. “And I’m not sure if he believes in what we do here. I think,” The instructor’s eyes shift to mine. “He’s a bit of a skeptic.” The room erupted with excited murmurs. I sat stiffly as he walked past me to his desk. He leaned against it with his arms crossed and the room quieted.“What do you think we do here?” His emotions dark again but his eyes twinkled with something else.Magic? There isn’t such thing. The way this program was advertised is absurd. Claims that you will be able to create magic right in front of your eyes.“The flyer said magic.. So I’m guessing, parlor tricks?” I uttered with a bit of venom, but I clearly didn’t sound confident in my bite. The older man lifted a brow and uncrossed his arms, leaning back into them on his desk. He was distractingly attractive.





	The Magic of Illusions

 

It wasn’t an obscure building. No sign in the front to display anything. It was small, a spitting image of the other buildings around it, nothing special. My school wasn’t far from here. I looked down at the flyer in my hand with an uncomfortable heaviness in my chest.

I know I should be focusing on my studies, putting all my energy in excelling in subjects I’m good at, but my eyes couldn’t look away from the ‘hidden in plain sight’ feeling I got from the flyer. I figured I would have to explore outside of school one day. It was childish. Magic? There is no such thing. A third year in college and this is what I would have to say I do on my free time.

I swallow my pride and open the door. It was heavier than I expected and barely any light seeped out. My voice remained dormant as I pushed through. The room was small and dimly lit. I didn’t know what I was expecting but tables of herbs and animals; mechanical pieces and the smell of sweets wasn’t at all anticipated. There couldn’t have been more than ten people at the desks, each tinkering with mechanical equipment and candles. The chill from outside disappeared entirely when I shuffled deeper into the confusing room.

“Do you need something?” A yelp lodges in my throat. A tall blonde man dressed dashingly in formal wear addresses me. His attire caught me off guard. If it were on anyone else I would have laughed. His dress shirt contained ruffles with a black formal coat over it, a pendulum in the middle of his chest. It was old fashioned but not ugly. There was something charmingly modern about his attire. His stance was cold but not unwelcoming. I lifted up the flyer and his eyes followed. His words before were dismissive but now he looks me in the eyes with a kindness that I was unprepared for. A flutter in my chest follows and I look down, pulling my coat closer against me.

“It’s always nice to have another student.” He placed a warm hand decorated with rings on my shoulder and ushers me to a seat. The moment I am seated everyone remained silent.

“We’ve gotten a new student.” His voice was clear and warm. “And I’m not sure if he believes in what we do here. I think,” The instructor’s eyes shift to mine. “He’s a bit of a skeptic.” The room erupted with excited murmurs. I sat stiffly as he walked past me to his desk. He leaned against it with his arms crossed and the room quieted.

“What do you think we do here?” His emotions dark again but his eyes twinkled with something else.

Magic? There isn’t such thing. The way this program was advertised is absurd. Claims that you will be able to create magic right in front of your eyes.

“The flyer said magic.. So I’m guessing, parlor tricks?” I uttered with a bit of venom, but I clearly didn’t sound confident in my bite. The older man lifted a brow and uncrossed his arms, leaning back into them on his desk. He was distractingly attractive. He hummed in thought and tapped his fingers. Looking around the room, I saw the eyes of everyone, completely focused on us. It was unnerving. After he swept the room with his eyes, he returned to me. My breath stilled as he continued to stare. He tapped his fingers a few more times, the sound growing louder and louder until it rattled in my skull. On the final tap, a burst of papers flew up in a puff of air and colors behind him. I jumped slightly, the room cheering and laughing. I knew my eyes betrayed me. He must've saw the sheer confusion and awe in them. I didn’t want him to notice. His mouth lifted up in a small pleased smile at my reaction as he made his way over to me.

“Parlor tricks, maybe so.” He slid my flyer from my desk. “But if they can make even a skeptic fumble, it’s magic.” He crumpled the paper and it disintegrated into a fine purple powder. My heart thumped as he grabbed my hand and poured the powder into my palm. It disappeared as it hit my skin. What did I stumble across?

| |

I was given papers I had to sign and a complimentary pencil with the programs hidden design on it. I was told that this pencil will be the backbone of many of our tricks. I soon found out that the whole room was rigged. If he wanted, he could make feathers fall from the ceiling or smoke come from his blackboard. He’s been here teaching for a few years but he’s just as new as most of the kids who had come four years back. I talked with a girl who said she had been here when there was nothing and just one day it came to life. He used his knowledge of machines to create an interactive magic land. Books lined the walls in disarray, shelves propped up nicnacs and inventions his students have made for him. Everyone wanted something of theirs to be displayed.  

Pulling a chair over to me he opened up a compartment in the desk and took out items I recognized on other student’s tables. He sat down and placed them in front of me.

“This is for your first trick.” He took a match and lit the candle. Taking the mess of metals, he took what he needed from the pile and began maneuvering them together, fitting pieces into one another. Picking up the pencil I was given, he clicked it  few times and small tools came out. He used it on the metals and wires to ensure their sturdiness. I saw him hiding vital parts of the construction as I tried stretching to look. “I’m just going to show you the end product. You’re going to have to construct it yourself.” He hid his hands with a knowing smile at my frustration.

He returned his hands and I see nothing remaining. I scrunch up my brows; searching up, down, and around his hands. The candle flickered and we both brought our attention back to it. He raised his hand and brought it to the flame. With a slow motion, he scooped up the flame and played with it on the tips of his fingers. It began on his pointer, dancing like water droplets to the other tips until he brought his thumb up, covering the flame. The light in his hand went away but right as his thumb moved, the flame came back, taller than before. He face was soft, effortless throughout his whole display. With a quick flick of his wrist, he threw the flame back at the candle a good few inches away. It continued to burn the wick like it never left. He did it so quick. Created whatever the hell the others are still creating, in the matter of minutes. He returned his hand below the desk and shredded whatever he had made. The scrap returned back to the pile in front of me.

“How could..Why did you not get burned?” I questioned dumbly. I pulled a hand through my hair and sigh. “That’s what I teach here. You have missed a few lessons so it would be wise to get you up to the other’s pace.”

The rest of my time there I spent getting explained what every item in the pile was. How specific pieces are always going to be combined for any trick we are doing. Those we got out of the way first. String is very important as well. Depending on how taunt you make it, it mimicked the tendons and flexes of your wrist and fingers. A loud croak startled me as the rest of the class began packing up. The teacher got up placed our work back into the desk.

“That sound means time is up.”

| |

I debated whether or not to return. I got the papers signed and experienced a day personally but I wasn’t sure if it really was for me. It felt exciting and magical but a feeling of heaviness hadn’t left my chest. I sent logic to the wind since this magic I was feeling was too strong to ignore. I realized just how boring my regular classes were. So drawn out and not at all unpredictable. After school, anything could happen. One of our in-room animals could jump out and destroy our projects at any moment or the instructor could tinker with your machine while you aren’t paying attention and make it spit fire back at you. Here everything was too bright and human smelling. There, it was dim, intimate, and smelled of chocolate and candy corns.

For, yes I counted, 3 days he sat with me and continued with the flame trick. Everyday the class started with a warm greeting and encouragement. There were moments where I, of course, was frustrated but just his presence blew that away. He leaned forward and rolled up my sleeves after asking me to take off my trench. Wrapping the device snugly to the inside of my sleeve he placed the switch we made in my other. He placed his large hand behind my wired one and pressed down on my fingers, watching closely at the flexing wires. He guided my hand to the flame and I held my breath. I wasn’t scared. I felt my fingers rake over the wick with a small amount of warmth. The flame sat a few centimeters above my fingers from the air we created in replacement of a wick, blown thinly from the device. The flame jumped as I pulled away certain fingers, denying it access to our makeshift wick, turning off the thin warm air with the switch.

I let out a breath of disbelief and I saw him smile.

“Still don’t believe we can make magic appear before your eyes?” He let my hands go and blew out the flame on my finger. My face heated up at the action and he got up, and left for the first time in three days, leaving me alone. I repeated the trick until our time was up. I felt eyes on me as I struggle a few times from nervousness and fear of burning myself without his help. I got the hang of it and disassembled our creation.

I hadn’t gotten his name. It wasn’t on the flyer or anywhere written in the room. I leaned behind me and asked the girl I talked to a few days ago. I was told that his name was Carson Blois. It sounded regal and fitting.

**Author's Note:**

> This story was based off a dream I had today. Please enjoy. More installments will come in the future.  
> Comments are encouraged heavily <3


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